First of all, Devonshire Colts should be congratulated for winning the first trophy of the new Millennium. They've had a lot of injuries this season but have come through victorious in the Dudley Eve Trophy. That speaks volumes for the people in charge there, David Furbert and Ray Jones, who have done a wonderful job.

I saw the first final, when Colts beat Vasco 6-0 and I thought they played superbly. Damon Ming, in particular, had a fine game.

I've also been impressed by the young PHC player Kevin Richards, who is at school in Canada. His case shows the value of exposure. Kevin went to Aston Villa for a while and they told him the points he needs to work on and he seems to have really got a grasp of what they taught him.

Yesterday morning, I was out with the under-23s, who had a practice match against Wolves. They really are a talented bunch of players. I know what is required for them if they are going to achieve what they are capable of achieving -- exposure against better players. I have high hopes for them in the Olympic qualifying games in the Spring.

That brings me to the tour of Europe we are hoping to make. I still do not know if the money will be found to make it possible, but I can't stress too much the importance of it to our chances of doing well in the World Cup.

On the tour, they will be playing against better players, stiffer competition and more physical teams and it will be good for them. When players compete against better teams, they tend to imitate them and that is how they can improve.

I have contacts right from the south of England up to Scotland and wherever we want to play in Britain, we can. With the money, we could do anything. I just hope we will be able to go ahead with the tour. It would really help.

I'm also looking forward to the first World Club Championship which starts this week in Brazil. I think it's a great idea, bringing together champions of the world and there should be some fantastic football.

And personally, I really hope Manchester United do well for the sake of English football, as that's the league I used to play in. I'm not a United fan -- I'm a claret-and-blues man, of course, having played for West Ham. But I feel that English soccer has taken a bashing in recent years and now the Premier League is one of the best in the world. So it would be fitting if United did well.

Going on to West Ham, I really admire the job that my old mate Harry Redknapp is doing there.

West Ham have got nothing like the money people like Manchester United have, so they have to bring more players through the ranks. But they have class players, like the teenager Joe Cole and Paolo Di Canio. I always knew Harry was a gambler -- now he's proving he's a good one.